by Laura Acton
“Broderick, shake a leg,” Robert said as he plopped down on a bench.
Not bothering to lift his head, Dan asked, “Why?”
“We’re going to the Blue Line tonight. We need a designated driver.”
Dan sighed. He didn’t want to go. “I’m tired. Wanna go home.”
“What? Never thought the Energizer Bunny would run out of juice,” Al quipped as he rounded the aisle.
Sitting up, Dan peered at Al. He must go because he couldn’t afford to give them any reason to doubt him. Since they all had tomorrow off, they would expect him to hang out while they got plastered. Only another day or so and this will be over. I won’t need to associate with them ever again. “Alright, I’ll go, but only for a couple of hours.”
Snow closed his locker, looking forward to grabbing a whiskey. When his cell phone started ringing, he answered with a brisk, “Snow.”
“Hey.”
Confused, Snow turned around and glanced to the doorway where Barrios stood with the phone to his ear. “Why the hell are you calling me?”
Turning and exiting, Barrios said, “Wanted to talk to you without anyone being the wiser, particularly Broderick.”
“Why?”
“This Broderick thing didn’t sit well with me, so I called Miriam in payroll. There was no screw up on Broderick’s paycheck. The bastard lied to Gould and my gut tells me we have an undercover IA rat in our midst.”
His anger growing, Brogan clenched his fist but kept his voice level. “Thanks, buddy. I’ll take care of things.” He hung up and took a moment to school his features as his mind whirled on the situation. He needed to find out for sure if Broderick ratted them out. And if he did, payback would be slow and painful. An idea formed as he strode around the corner. “Let’s go. Change of plans. We’re hanging out at my place tonight … rookie needs a beer.”
Snow’s Home – 6:20 p.m.
Dan laughed at one of Al’s jokes to fit in but remained uncomfortable. He took another sip of beer Robert brought him, realizing he should make it his last to stay clear-headed … wouldn’t be smart to allow his senses to be dulled by alcohol. Glancing out the window, he wondered where his IA protection detail lurked. Arbor said they would be discreet, and Dan boasted he’d be aware of their presence and location, but he never once caught sight of them.
Trudging out of his kitchen, Brogan said, “Pizza is ordered. Should be here in about thirty minutes.” He sat in his extra-wide recliner, downed his shot of whiskey, and laid out his trap. “You seem to be losing weight, Broderick. You got enough to eat?”
“Yeah.”
“Must be hard to make ends meet on your own with no family to help and scarcely eighteen.” Brogan popped off the longneck cap and took a drink.
“I manage.”
Playing his part, the one Brogan explained to him on the way over in the car while Broderick hitched a ride with Robert, Al shook his head. “Heard from Gould you had a problem with payroll and had to go to headquarters. If you need money to tide you over, say the word, and I’ll loan you some.”
Dan swallowed hard, a sense of dread returning. Gould talked to Al? Did he mention IA or only the payroll lie? “I’m fine.” And he was F.I.N.E., being here with them unnerved him. He wrapped his hands around the frosty bottle to hide the slight tremor which coursed through his body.
“Are you sure?” Al prodded.
“Yeah.”
“Who helped you, Alice, Sandy, or Miriam?” Brogan inquired in a conversational tone, which covered his growing fury.
Dan panicked on the inside. He didn’t know anyone in payroll. “Don’t recall the name, but got it all worked out before shift on the twenty-ninth.” He took a long draw, and as he swallowed, he realized his mistake. Payroll doesn’t open until nine. I couldn’t have gone before work. Shit, they know!
“Good.” Brogan wanted to punch the mole who deceived him but only grinned. Patience, soon enough I’ll exact retribution for Broderick’s betrayal.
“Gotta take a leak.” Dan stood and started for the bathroom, intending on texting Arbor to inform him he needed the cavalry to save his ass. Halfway down the hall, he reached for the wall as his vision blurred and he became woozy. Shit, I screwed up again. Dan dropped to his knees and didn’t feel his face smack the tile floor as the knockout drug put in his beer took effect.
Snow hefted his weight out of the chair. “Charley, Robert, drag the ratfink to my car. Al, check for a tail so we can lose them if necessary.”
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished
36
May 1
Warehouse District – Derelict Building 10:00 p.m.
“Call the old bitch!” Brogan yelled again, losing his cool.
“Go to hell!” Blood sprayed out with the force of Dan’s response, splattering Brogan’s shirt and dribbling down Dan’s chin.
“Brogan, this isn’t working.” Al delivered another blow to dickhead’s stomach to punctuate his meaning. The damned rookie barely even groaned as he hit the ground for the umpteenth time.
Frustrated and furious, Brogan waddled to the opposite side of the defunct warehouse. He needed another new plan. Livid the little shit ratted them out to IA, they now required a lot of money fast to leave the country, or they would be facing prison. Dame Ridgewater would be their ticket, but they needed her here. The ratfink refused to make the call, nor was her number programmed in his phone.
Slowing his breaths, glad for the reprieve from the strikes, Dan lay still, hoping Fulco and Arbor would find him soon. They supposedly put me under protective surveillance, but as of yet, nobody is coming to pull my ass from the fire. Par for the course. Only Bella and Wilson care enough about me to come to my aid, but they have no idea I’m in trouble.
The only smart thing he had done in this whole debacle was to wipe all personal contacts from his cell and delete his text and call history. He would never lure the woman who he thought of as his mother here, and would gladly die to protect Bella from these evil bastards.
Hatred grew as he glared at the four men who broke their oaths and preyed on the weakest members of society. Worry and guilt also jockeyed for dominance. Bella is now at risk because of me. I should’ve called Wilson when this all started and clued him in then he would be able to keep her safe from harm.
Wishing like hell he had declined tonight, Dan shifted a little on the ground trying to relieve the pressure on his sore ribs. Hard to do with his hands bound behind him with zip ties. I went to Snow’s place like a lamb to a slaughterhouse. I’m such an idiot. I should’ve suspected they might dope me. More examples of why I will never measure up to the general’s expectations.
When Dan initially woke from his drug-induced nap, he found himself trussed up in the same manner as the Cravens, minus a gag. He deduced yelling wouldn’t draw attention, and unfortunately, his logic proved correct. Brogan commenced beating him as soon as he lifted his eyelids and they continued for a long time, each taking a turn. Although unsure what Snow’s full plan entailed, he gleaned the most relevant items. One, Snow wanted to ransom Bella to finance their escape. Two, they would ensure he experienced a full-measure of agony for informing IA of their criminal activities. Three, they didn’t plan on him leaving here alive … that was for damned sure.
“Brodickhead, why the fuck would you work for IA? You could’ve been rich,” Robert shouted as he kicked Dan in the back, enraged to the point he craved to kill the bastard with one swift kick to the temple, but Brogan wanted him alive for now.
A cry escaped Dan as a steel-toed boot made contact, fracturing at least one rib. Panting through the agony, Dan almost gained the upper hand on his pain before Charley yanked him upright. Wobbling and trying to remain standing, challenging to do with his ankles bound, he pulled on his defiant and cocky mask. Unwilling to give an inch to these assholes, Dan refused to display the fear which coursed through him.
“You’re so fucking ineffectual you had to drug me. Doubt you could handle me one-on-one. When I
get out of here, you’ll never know when you’re about to die. I can lie in wait for days, and you won’t see me or the bullet with your name on it,” Dan spat out as his defense mechanism shifted into high gear.
Aware of Broderick’s sniper skills, trepidation stirred in Charley as he glared at the overconfident rookie. He never witnessed anyone shoot as fast or accurate from a long distance. Charley pulled out his switchblade and moved the knife close to the turncoat’s neck. “Let’s hang him by his feet and slit his throat. We can cross the border and be out of the country in a few hours.”
“No, too easy a death for him. He needs to pay for ruining the funding of our retirement plan.” Robert kicked the back of Broderick’s knees, sending him to the ground and causing Charley’s blade to nick Dan’s jaw.
With no hands to stop his fall, the side of Dan’s head whacked the sharp corner of a metal workbench and then the cement. Fresh crimson from his cut jaw and the new gash near his hairline joined the coagulated and dried blood on Dan’s face and neck as he gulped for air. In a world of pain, he wondered why his IA minders didn’t stop the beating.
Surely, they have enough additional evidence now. Assault on a fellow officer will add years to their sentences. Why are they leaving me swinging in the wind? Shit, what if they were made and taken out or ditched somehow? Dan struggled to remain conscious, unable to catch his breath his vision dimmed at the edges. He rolled to his back, causing pain in his shoulders and arms, but allowing him to drag in almost full breaths. Breathe, just breathe.
Dan’s thought was validated as Charley crouched and taunted him. “No one is coming to save you. We had no trouble tricking your tail. Now you are ours to play with for as long as we want. You betrayed us, and you will pay.” Charley slipped on his brass knuckles and punched Broderick’s face.
Pain erupted in Dan’s cheek, senses overwhelmed, he lost his grasp on consciousness, his eyes rolled back as his lids shut and he went limp.
“Dammit, Charley! How can he make the call if you knock him out?” Robert groused. “And he can’t feel the pain either.”
Charley peered upwards at the stupidest man of their group. “You’re one to talk, Robbie-steel-toes. You probably broke his ribs with your kick. He won’t be able to speak if it punctures his lung.”
The two traded barbs as Al approached Brogan on the other side of the warehouse. “Any ideas?”
Halting his pacing, winded, Brogan lowered himself to an oversized, wooden crate. “Yeah. You’ll have to go into the station to look up the bitch’s address. Grab your uniform while your there. After you change, go to her house and tell her she needs to come with you because Dan’s been hurt.”
“Why would she do that? Doubt she would come without asking a lot of questions. Hoity-toity types like her tend to be cautious.”
A sneer came to Brogan’s face as he stood and started towards Broderick. “Because you will be in uniform, and according to you, she called him Danny and worried about what he was eating. Plus, Danny boy lived with her for a few years. Means the old bat cares about him. Besides, a picture is worth a thousand words. Give me your phone.”
Al handed over his phone as Brogan barked out instructions, “Charley, cut the bindings on Broderick’s wrists. Robert, grab that canvas tarp and drape it over the workbench. Then you three put the rat bastard on the bench.
Coming around, Dan caught the remainder of Brogan’s plans.
“If I zoom in close, it will appear as if he is on a gurney. Al, use your magic to make it sound convincing when you tell Ridgewater someone jumped Dan on the way home from the bar, and he is begging for her.” Brogan halted and laughed. “Emphasize he is terrified he is going to die alone. Show her the photo as proof of his injuries and inform her you are there to escort her to the hospital to visit him. Once she is here, we can tell her if she complies with our demands, we will spare his life and let them both go.”
“We won’t though, right?” Robert asked as he put the cloth on the table.
“Hell no!” Charley exclaimed as he cut the plastic tie holding Broderick’s hands, glad he had knocked him out because he didn’t want to give the snitch an opportunity to escape.
Once his hands were freed, Dan lashed out, striking Charley. The crunch of cartilage and the scream told him he broke the asshole’s nose. His bravado only lasted for the one blow, falling into the bottomless pit of darkness as Robert’s boot connected with his abused ribs again.
Clutching a hand over his nose, trying to stem the red river, Charley growled, “I’m gonna break every bone in his body before I kill the bastard.”
“Al, Robert, … lift him on to the table. Charley, go clean your face,” Brogan commanded, pissed off once again as he stared at the blond on the ground. The little shit was a boatload of trouble, and he would not underestimate him a second time.
Robert grabbed Broderick’s legs while Al struggled with the more muscular upper body and they unceremoniously dropped him on the pretend gurney. Brogan moved forward and took several close-up snapshots before handing the phone back to Al as he directed, “Go now.”
Al hustled out of the warehouse.
“Bind his wrists again,” Brogan said as he lumbered towards one of only two chairs in the place. He eyed the spindly legs and decided it would not bear his weight, so he continued to the crate he rested on before.
After rolling Broderick to his side, Robert yanked both hands behind Broderick’s back before realizing he left the zip ties in the car. “Don’t have anything to tie dickhead’s hands.”
“Find something.” Brogan waved a hand around. “I’m sure there is rope around here somewhere.”
Clawing his way up out of the dark pit, Dan realized his hands were still free, and he was not on the cold cement. He cracked his eyes open only a slit and assessed his situation. The others were not near him. Brogan sat on a crate peering at a phone. Charley and Al were nowhere to be seen, and Robert appeared to be rummaging through a pile of debris.
Spying the jagged metal near his feet, Dan moved his legs, positioning his ankles over it and began a sawing motion. He needed his limbs free to make a run for it. As the plastic popped, Dan’s spirit lifted. If I can get out of here, I can contact Wilson, and he will keep Bella safe.
Slowly edging himself off the table, he stifled a groan as his muscles protested. He sucked in a shallow breath and scanned the area again. He had one shot, and he didn’t want to blow it. Selecting the closest door, hoping it led outside, Dan forced his aching legs to move, grateful he learned how to walk without making a sound while living with the general at SFATB Yukon.
At least something from that time is useful. Dan arrived without being noticed. Upon opening the door, his luck ran out as his gaze met Charley’s in the cracked bathroom mirror. “Shit!” Pivoting, Dan raced for another portal, speed needed instead of stealth.
Charley rushed out in pursuit, shouting, “He’s loose. Robert, stop him.”
Robert stood and turned at Charley’s yell. He spotted Broderick and for a moment was surprised the rookie could run in his condition. He pulled out his gun and aimed.
“Don’t shoot him! We need him alive for now, and the gunfire will draw unwanted attention,” Brogan bellowed as he rose and dashed after Broderick, but had to slow to a fast walk after only twenty paces, huffing and puffing.
Dan changed directions when Robert reached the exit before him, scanning for another one. Fortunately, adrenaline kicked in and helped some, but every labored breath still seared his chest. Spotting a window with broken panes, Dan made a beeline for the only possible egress point. Jumping through the window is gonna hurt like hell, but it is my only option to save Bella.
Closing the distance, only because the rabbit was injured and slower than usual, Charley didn’t think he would catch Broderick in time. As he passed a machine of some sort, he grabbed a chunk of wood about the size of a brick and hurled it at Broderick.
Something hard slammed into the back of Dan’s head, causing him
to lose his balance, and down he went, six feet shy of his window of hope. Scrambling up as fast as he could, Dan was not quick enough, and Charley tackled him mid-rise.
“Got you, you son of a bitch!” Charley gloated as they hit the floor.
“Like hell!” Dan exclaimed as he thrashed. Once he broke Charley’s hold, he went on the offensive, delivering another punch to Charley’s face, causing a scream as the broken nose started to bleed again.
Both staggered to their feet, and Dan turned, still hoping to escape, but found Robert standing in his way. His eyes darting to the doorway, he spied Brogan with his gun out, blocking his egress.
“You wanted to go one-on-one, Shithead. Well, let’s go. I’m gonna break every bone in your body, starting with your ribs. You’re gonna wish you never met me.” Charley did a hokey kung fu move with his hands as he cried out, “Hiiiiyaaa.” He spun to deliver his favorite roundhouse kick.
Thanks to Buzz’s Judo lessons, Dan knew how to block the kick. He seized Charley’s foot, twisted, and pushed, sending Turner sprawling. Fighting the pain, not willing to give in, resigned to fighting to the death if necessary, Dan sucked in a ragged breath and prepared to take on Charley again.
Pissed his kick missed the mark, Charley rushed Broderick, grabbing him in the midsection and taking him down hard, sat on him, and landed several hits.
Reeling from the blows, Dan searched for an opportunity to gain the upper hand. He jerked to the side, knocking Charley off him. Spotting his opening, his arm wrapped around Turner’s throat and he locked it in place with the help of his other arm. Panting, he squeezed with all he had in him, choking off Charley’s air. I’ve never killed, but this is life and death, and I want to live.
Desperate for oxygen, Charley’s fingers clawed at Dan’s arm trying to break the hold. His legs thrashed, seeking purchase on the dusty concrete, but slipped several times. Not gonna let dickhead win. His loafers found a clear spot and held, so Charley used them as leverage as he bucked backward. Ramming them both to the unforgiving floor, the arm around his neck loosened when Broderick groaned with a whoosh of air leaving his lungs.